The History of Rome, Books 1-5

Quick Overview

"Dr. Warrior . . . wisely chose to be more literal than free, and she happily refrained from importing 'new and false metaphors'. . . . Her translation, accurate at every turn, is complemented with useful footnotes, especially in those parts of the work (e.g., the Preface) that need special elucidation. The scholarship that went into these footnotes, as well as into the appendix articles and Dr. Warrior's own Introduction, is current and of a very high quality. (I do not think I have ever read a better introduction to Livy.) A useful bibliography and several maps contribute to the excellence of a book, which, like Livy's own work, is not likely ever to be surpassed." —Blaise Nagy, College of the Holy Cross

In addition to Valerie Warrior's crisp, fluent translation of the first five books of Livy's Ab Urbe Condita, this edition features a general introduction to Livy and his work, extensive foot-of-the-page notes offering essential contextual information, and a chronology of events. Three appendices—on the genealogies of the most prominent political figures in the early Republic, Livy's relationship with Augustus, and Livy's treatment of religion—offer additional insight into the author and the early history of Rome.

To read a comparative review between this title and Selincourt's The Early History of Rome, and Luce's The Rise of Rome, click here.

Reviews:

"Dr. Warrior . . . wisely chose to be more literal than free, and she happily refrained from importing 'new and false metaphors'. . . . Her translation, accurate at every turn, is complemented with useful footnotes, especially in those parts of the work (e.g., the Preface) that need special elucidation. The scholarship that went into these footnotes, as well as into the appendix articles and Dr. Warrior's own Introduction, is current and of a very high quality. (I do not think I have ever read a better introduction to Livy.) A useful bibliography and several maps contribute to the excellence of a book, which, like Livy's own work, is not likely ever to be surpassed." —Blaise Nagy, College of the Holy Cross

"An excellent translation which will surely prove useful to undergraduates." —Glenn W. Most, Department of Social Thought, University of Chicago

"The translation is both smooth and accurate. What makes the book superior to its rivals, what will recommend it decisively to those reading or teaching Livy in English, is the quality of the assistance provided by the extra-textual material: the well-informed, concise, helpful explanatory and interpretative footnotes, located, as they ought to be, at the foot of the page; the headings provided for every chapter, which prevent the reader from becoming lost in the sometimes complicated narrative and allow rapid consultation; the clear and valuable introduction, orienting the reader in various important ways; the glossary, which explains Roman institutions; the many simple maps." —Joseph Solodow, Southern Connecticut State University

"Smooth and accurate translation, close to the Latin with very useful footnotes. Highly recommended for civilization classes or Livy seminars." —Antony Augoustakis, Department of Classics, Baylor University

"[Warrior's] History of Rome is a straightforward and eminently well-executed exercise in reformulating the complexity and often breathless periodicity of annalistic Latin narrative to suit the modern English idiom. That [Warrior] manages to do so without sacrificing any of the qualities praised by the 1st century BCE literary critic and rhetorician, Quintilian—namely, Livy's 'wonderful charm,' 'brilliant transparency,' and 'elegance of exposition' (Inst. Orat. 10.1.32, 101)—is testament to her lucid, accurate reworking." —Peter Keegan, (Macquarie University), The Classical Bulletin

"This is the very best translation available for Livy 1-5. A superbly clear translation and useful notes on the same page as the text will make this the edition to use in the classroom. Everything about it is unmatched: translation, introduction, notes, glossary, index, appendices, maps—even stemmata of families." —Randall M. Colaizzi, University of Massachusetts, Boston

About the Author:

Valerie M. Warrior is the author of Roman Religion (Cambridge University Press, 2006) and The initiation of the Second Macedonian War: An Explication of Livy Book 31 (F. Steiner, 1996).